Mine ventilating apparatus



July l1, l933 u l.. J. DRIGGs 1,917,439

MINE VENTILATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 30, 1932 2 `Sheets-Sheet l l l l Il l l l l l l x l l July 1.1, 1933. L, J DRlGGs 1917,439.

MINE VENTILATING APPARATUS Filed Jam 30, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 InventorA Home y Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT-f oFEIcE l LORENZOJ. names, or ALTooNA, PENNSYLVANIA MIN'E VENTELATNG APPARATUS pApplication led January 30, 1932. Serial No. 589,943.

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Y through an embodiment of a Ventilating apparatus constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in 'horizontal section through the apparatus showingthe same 3@ operating to drive air into the mine.

VFigure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially onthe line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in thedireotion indicated by thearrows.

m Y Figure Ll is a view in vertical ylongitudinal y locaf sectionthrough a vportion of the flume showing, in side elevation, thecontrol'unit.

Figure 5 is a detail view showing a means for uztuating the controlunit. v

Referring nowto the dra-Wings in detail, 1t will beseen that theembodiment of the invention illustrated comprises a fan casing'l whichcommunicates with an end port-ion of a fiume 2 through a substantiallycentrally ed opening V3. The opening 3 constitutes the air intake of thecasing 1. The casing 1 is provided with an air outlet opening 4; to theatmosphere which, 1s controlled by a door 5.

A shaft 6 is mounted for rotation in the Other objects of the inventionare to pro-v vide a min-e Ventilating apparatus of the- `casing 1 andextends through lthe opening 3,

through the flume 2 and projects through the outerl side wall of saidflume and vhas iXed on its outer end apulley 7 for connection with asuitable source of power through the me- 5 dium of a belt (not shown). Acentrifugal fan Sis fixed on the shaft 6 for operation in the casing l.A

A by-pass 9 communicates with thecasing 1 at a point between the fan 8and the outlet opening 4 of said casing through Van opening 10 which iscontrolled by a door 11. One

end of the by-pass 9 communicates with the flume 2 at a point betweenthe opening 8 and the mine, said one end beingv controlled by a door 12;Mounted for operation in the flume 2 on one side of the opening 3 andbetween said opening 3 and the door 12 is a control doorl. On the otherside of the opening 3 the nume-2 lisladaqoted to communicate with theatmosphere through an opening 14 which is controlled by a door 15. Y

Rotatably, mounted on the shaft 6 for operation in the ume2' is an 4aircontrol unit or guide which is designated generally by the reference`numeral 16 and which comprises an elbow or arcuate conduit 17 having oneend registering with the opening 3 in the casing 1, said one end hav-ingan external flange 18 abutting the casing 1. An annulus 19 ofsubstantially arcuate cross section is fixed on the casing 1 in thefiume 2l and is'engaged over the flange 18.` Mounted in the Velbow orconduit 17 are Vthe arcuate guide vanes 2O of a curvature correspondingto the curvature of said elbow orconduit The control unit 16 furtherincludes a gear or toothed disk 21 which is journaled on the shaft 6adjacent the outer wall of the flume i 2 to which the elbow or conduit17'is rigidly secured in any suitable manner. A hand crank' 22 ismountedfor rotation in the outer wall of the flume 2 and has fixed thereto agear 23 which is engaged with the gear 21.

kIf desired, the gear 2'1 may be in the form -of a segment and suitablelmeans provided for limiting rotation thereof in opposite directions tosubstantially one-half of a revo# lution.

In use, when it is desired to utilize the fan aan to draw air from thelmine, the various control doors are disposed as seen in Figure 1 of thedrawings. The fan 8 will then draw the air from the mine through theflume 2, through the opening 3 into the casing 1 and said air will beexpelled to the atmosphere through the outlet opening lj `When it isdesired to drive air into theminc, the various control doors aredisposed as seen in Figure 2 of the drawings and the air is drawn intothe flume 2 from the atmosphere to thc opening 14, through the opening3V into the casing 1, into the by-pass 9 through the opening l() andthen passed into the flume 2 and air is to be driven into the mine, theVcontrol unitl is disposed in the position shown in Figure 2 of thedrawingsand when the air is to be drawn from the-mine, said control unitisreversed'to occupy the position shown in Figure 1 of said drawings.Actuation of the control unit 1G is accomplished through the medium ofthe crank 22 and the gears 21 and 23.

The unit 16 together with the annulus 19 which constitutes a guideprevent eddying of the air inthe Hume 2 and also` after said air hasentered the central portion of the casing 1, thereby materiallyincreasing the eiiiciency of the fan 8. This constitutes the mostimportant and desirable feature of the invention.

It is believed that the many advantages of a Ventilating apparatusconstructed in accordance with the present invention will be vreadilyunderstood, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention is asillustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in thedetails of construction and in the combination and arrangement of partsmay be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

. That is claimed'is zl. A Ventilating apparatus comprising, incombination, a flume, a Vcasing communicating with the lume, a fanoperable in the cas* ing for drawing air from the iiume into the casing,control means Vfor selectively Causing the air to be drawn into thecasing from different directions intoy the flume, said means includingan arcuate conduit mounted for rotation in the flume and having one endcommunicating with said flume and its other end communicating with thecasing, said means further including arcuate Vguide varies in theconduit, andmeans for actuating the control means, the second namedmeans comprising a gea-r fixed to the conduit, a crank mounted forrotation on the flume, and a gear fixed to Athe crank and engaged withthe irst namedy gear for operatively connecting the crank thereto.

2. A Ventilating apparatus comprising, in combination, a flume, a casinghaving an Opening therein establishing communication between said casingand the ilume, a fan operable in the casing, said fan being adapted todraw air through theflume into the casing, anV arcuate conduit mountedfor rotation in the flume and having one end communicating with theflume and its other end communicating with the opening, means forshifting the conduit for causing the air to be drawn into the` casingfrom different directions in the fiume, and an annulus of substantiallyarcuate cross section mounted in the flume coaxiis driven to the mine.Of course, when the ally with the opening and immediately adjacent saidopening, said annulus constituting an air guide.

3. A Ventilating apparatus comprising, in combination, a fiume a casinghaving an opening therein establishing communication between said casingand the iume, a fan operable in the casing, said fan being adapted todraw air through the flume into the casing, an arcuate conduit mountedfor rotation in the flume and having one end communicating with theflume and its other end communieating with the opening, means Jforshifting the conduit for causing the air to be drawn into the casingfrom different directions in the Hume, and an annulus of substantiallyarcuate cross'section mounted in the iiume coaxially with the openingand immediately adjacent said opening, said annulus constituting an airguide, an external flange on the conduit engaged against the casing, theannulus encircling the conduit and being engaged withthe Vflange.

4. A Ventilating apparatus comprising, in combination, a flume, a casinghaving an opening therein establishing communication between said casingand the flume, a fan operable in the casing, said fan being adapted todraw .air through the Hume into the casing, an arcuate conduit mountedfor rotation in the flume and having one end communicating with theliume and its otherend' communicating with the opening, means forshifting the conduit for causing the air to be drawn into the casingfrom diii'erent directions in the flume, and an .annulus ofsubstantially arcuate cross section mounted in the flume coaxially withthe opening and immediately7 adj acent saidopcning, said annulusconstituting an air guide, an external flange on the con'- duit engagedagainst the casing, the annulus encircling the conduit and being engagedwith the flange, and spaced, arcuate guides Xed in the conduit.

In testimony whereof I ai'ix my signature.

K LORENZO VJ. DRIGGS.

